Work-engaging cutter guide for splitting machines



March 2, 1954 H. M. YOHN WORK-ENGAGING CUTTER GUIDE FOR SPLITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 26, 1949 iiiiilfi i iiiiiiiiii iiii lfliiiii iiiiiiiiii I game/wt HENRY M. YOHN Patented Mar. 2, 195

UNI D, srAT-ss harem ()FFlcE V i ii I GUIDE FOR I I notation of Pennsylvania 1 Application October 26, 1949, Serial'No. 123,663-

' 4 Claims. (01.143-167) This invention relates to splitting machines and is concerned particularly with splitting machines of the band knife type in which the knife has a substantially flat run, and severing action is effected by moving the piece to be split along a path of movement which intersects the path of movement of the knife in'its fiat run.

In the splitting of cork composition mats, par.- ticularly where sheets of considerable thickness are severed,,some difiiculty'has been encountered due to the excessive bend required in the split portion of .the mat as it moves under the knifesupporting and guiding jaws, resulting in cracking and uneven severing of the mat.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a splitting machine which will uniformly sever relatively thick slices .of material from mats of cork composition or the like without excessive cracking.

Another object of the invention is to provide a knife support and guide arrangement for band knife splitting machines which will permit the severance of sheets from a mat of cork composition or the like without unduly bending the severed sheet to cause cracking or affect uniform splitting. V r V According to the presentinvention the splitting'machine is provided with guiding jaws, one

of which has an inclined surface for supporting the mat as it is split. A conventional knife guiding bar is included in the combination for adjusting the cutting edge of the band knife in its flat run with respect to the inclined supporting surface of the jaw. A second jaw is provided and has its forward edge disposed substantially to the rear of the cutting edge of the band knife along the direction of travel of the mat. The second jaw is also reduced in thickness to permit the severed sheet to move along the second jaw without imparting an objectionable bend. The two jaws are provided with an adjustable clamping arrangement which permits the first jaw to'be disposed in its proper position with respect to the cutting edge to properly support the mat during severance and to position the second jaw substantially to the rear of the cutting edge of the band knife.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the attached drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a splitting machine incorporating the knife support and guide arrangement of the present invention;

V Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional View taken alongthe line IIII of Figure l;

2 Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line IIIIII of Figure 1; and V I Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the severance of a thick sheet from a mat of cork composition.

Referring to Figure 1, there is illustrated amachines made in accordance with the inven-' tion there disclosed, since the knife support and guide arrangement of the present invention may be used with other splitting machines of this band knife type. The band knife is indicatedat' 2 in Figure 1 and, as shown, the knife support and guide arrangement is positioned along a portion of the flat run of the knife 2. The ar-' rangement for supporting and guiding the knifeincludes an upper jaw 3 and a lower jaw 4. The

lower jaw is carried by the frame of the splitting machine. The upper jaw 3 is carried by the lower jaw in a manner which will be more fully hereinafter described.

The upper jaw 3 has an inclined surface-6 which is adapted to support the mat after severance as diagrammatically shown, in Figure 4. The jaw 3 may be made of cast iron and is provided with a wear-taking inserted guide 1 which includes a wear plate 8 adjacent to its forward end. Screws 9 are provided for attaching the guide 1 to the jaw 3. The width of the guide I is such that it overlies the band knife 2 and takes any wear occasioned by movement of the band knife with respect to the jaw. The guide I is preferably formed of soft steel and the wear plate 8 of hardened steel, since most of the wear will be taken by the wear plate 8.

The lower jaw 4 is provided with a similar guide I!) having an inserted hardened steel wear plate H, the guide [0 being secured to the .jaw 4 by screws 12. The jaw 4 is provided with'an inclined surface I3 which extends from the forward or leading edge E of the jaw and includes a portion of the guide 10 and wear plate II and a portion of the body of jaw 4, extending to a point l4 disposed a substantial distance to the rear of the cutting edge C of the knife 2. This inclined surface 13 may be disposed at an angle of about 10 to the horizontal. The jaw is provided with a second inclined surface l5 which horizontal. The inclined portions 13 and I5 are 3 connected by an inclined portion l6, directed at about 25 to the horizontal. It will be observed by reference to Figures 2 and 3 that the leading edge E of the jaw 4 is disposed a substantial distance to the rear of the cutting edge C of the blade 2; whereas, the leading edge L of the jaw 3 is disposed closely adjacent to the cutting edge C in order to properly support the band knife 2 during severance with a generally upwardly directed force as indicated in Figure 4, and also to fully support the mat after it is split and prior to engagement of the mat with supporting rollers H. In the severance of a mat six inches thick by fifty inches long by twenty-eight inches wide into sheets one-half inch thick, the

jaws may be adjusted so that the upper jaw 3 has its leading edge L disposed just beyond the cutting edge C of the knife 2, and the lower jaw 4 has its leading edge E five-eights of an inch beyond the cutting edge C of the knife 2. This willbring the declined portion l3 of the lower jaw 4 at the line I4 about three inches from the cutting edge C of the knife 2.

An adjustable knife guide 18 is provided, being disposed between the jaws 3 and 4. The guide 18 preferably extends along the full length of the jaws and is preferably made of hardened steel because it is in continuous contact with the rear edge .of the knife 2 during severance of sheets from the mat to be split. The guide [8 is adjustable to properly position the knife 2 with respect to the mat-feeding mechanism, the upper jaw 3, and the mat-supporting mechanism H.

A knife-adjusting arrangement is shown in Figures 1 and 3. It includes three adjusting screws [9, each of which is connected to a plate 20, the attachment being in the form of a recessed connector 21 which receives within its recess the head 22 of adjusting screw i9. Thus, upon axial movement of the screws l9, the guide l8 will be moved transversely of the jaws 3 and 4 to position the knife 2 in a desired location. The guide It is not attached to the plates 20 but abuts against them when urged in the direction of the plates by the knife 2, the guide 18 i being in contact engagement with the knife.

In-order to effect simultaneous movement of the-three adjusting screws l9, there is provided an operating shaft 23 mounted in brackets 24 attached to the lower jaw 4 by machine screws 25.

. The operating shaft carries three worms 26, one

brackets 24 secured in fixed position on the lower jaw. The worm wheel 21 is keyed to the sleeve -28 by a set screw .30. Thus when the operating .shaft 23 is rotated, the worms 2B impart a rotary motion to the sleeves 28 through the worm wheels 21 which are attached to the sleeves, the rotary motion of the sleeves imparting an axial motion to the adjusting screws IS, the keepers 29 preventing axial movement of the sleeves 28. Adjustment of any screw 19 with respect to the others may be obtained by hand wheels 3! which are aflixed to sleeves 28 by set screws 32. By loosening set screw .30 at any adjusting screw location, hand wheel 31 may be rotated to rotate sleeve 28 and thus adjust screw [9. After individual adjustment has been effected, set screw 30 may be again ti htened and all adjusting screws l9 wi l op ra e in un n upon r tation of operating sha t .33-

It will be observed by reference to Figure 4, which diagrammatically illustrates the severance of a thick sheet 33 from a mat 34 of cork composition, that the knife 2 is fully supported by the guide arrangement as the mat is moved in a generally upwardly inclined direction and that the surface 6 supports the split surface of the mat 34 as it moves toward supporting rolls [1. It will be further observed that as the sheet 33 is split from the mat 34 it may assume a generally curved position without obstruction by the lower jaw surfaces l3, l6, and i5 because the lower jaw is disposed a substantial distance to the rear of the cutting edge C of the blade 2, along the direction of travel of the mat 34 and because of the reduced thickness of the lower jaw as compared with the upper jaw. The sheet 33 is not bent beyond its elastic limit and cracking is obviated, a smooth out is obtained, and the sheet 33 is of uniform thickness.

The upper law 3. is, adjustably secured to the lower jaw 4 by screws 35 which are received within threaded bushings 36 received in the lower jaw 4. Spacers 31 are provided to position the upper Jaw a sumc cnt d stanc above. the lower la t p mit th kni and knif uide to be p siti n d for proper op ration therebetween. Each of the bushings 3B is provided with a projection for the reception of a wrench for adjustment of the position of the spacers 31. The screws 35 pass through slots 38 in the upper jaw and each is provided with a washer 39 which lies on a flange surfa e 4. fo med in the pper jaw Horizontal adjustment of the upper jaw 3 with respect to he lower Jaw 4 i ac mp i hed without changin the e ica adjustment between th jaw s is cc p ished b oos n n screws 35 and sl dms the o p-e jaw to the desired position and retightening the screws. Other adjusting arrangements may be provided.

I claim:

1. In a p t n mach n of h pe c i a band knife having a substantially flat run, the mbination means l sup rtin a e 1' be split during movement th r o in a fixed pl n of travel, the path of which is inclined with respect to the fiat run of said knife and intersects the cutting edge thereof in said flat run, and a knife support and guide arrangement comprising an 1 upper jaw over which said mat to be split passes during splitting, a mat-supporting surface on said upper jaw which is disposed closely adjacent to the cutting edge of said knife and lies in a plane coincident with the plane of travel of said mat and which cooperates with said means for supporting said mat to direct the same alon said fixed plane o tr l, a lower J w disp d in @0- pe iv el tion hip wi h he ppe j w to guide said band knife along its substantially flat run and under which the split portion of the mat passes during splitting, a knife guide disposed between said jaws, means carried by one of said jaws for adjusting the cutting edge of said band r knife in a desired location forwardly of said jaws,

a band 'knife'havi ng a substantially ilat run, the

combination of means for supporting a mat to be split during movement thereof in a fixed plane of travel, the path of which is inclined with respect to the flat run of said knife and intersects the cutting edge thereof in said fiat run, and a knife support and guide arrangement comprising an upper movable jaw over which said mat to be split passes during splitting, a mat-supporting surface on said upper jaw which is disposed closely adjacent to the cutting edge of said knife and lies in a plane coincident with the plane of travel of said mat and which cooperates with said means for supporting said mat to direct the same along said fixed plane of travel, a fixed lower jaw disposed a substantial distance to the rear of the movable jaw along the path of movement of the mat to be split and disposed in cooperative relationship with the movable jaw to guide said band knife along its substantially fiat run, a knife guide disposed between said jaws, means carried by said fixed jaw for adjusting the position of the cutting edge of said band knife in a desired location forwardly of said jaws, and means for adjustably securing the movable upper jaw to the fixed lower jaw with the movable upper jaw disposed a substantial distance in advance of the fixed lower jaw along the path of movement of the mat to be split to provide clearance for the passage of the split portion of the mat below the fixed lower jaw without bending beyond the elastic limit thereof.

3. In a splitting machine of the type including a band knife having a substantially flat run, the combination of means for supporting a mat to be split during movement thereof in a fixed plane of travel, the path of which is inclined upwardly with respect to the fiat run of said knife and intersects the cutting edge thereof in said fiat run, with the major force of splitting directed upwardly at an angle to the plane of the band knife in said fiat run, and a knife support and guide arrangement comprising a movable upper jaw over which said mat to be split passes during splitting, a mat-supporting surface on said upper jaw which is disposed closely adjacent to the cutting edge of said knife and lies in a plane coincident with the plane of travel of said mat and which cooperates with said means for supporting said mat to direct the same along said fixed plane of travel, a fixed lower jaw disposed in cooperative relationship with said movable upper jaw and under which the split portion of the mat passes during splitting, a knife guide disposed between said jaws, means carried by said fixed lower jaw for adjusting the position of the cutting edge of said band knife in a desired location forwardly of said jaws, and means for adjustably securing the movable upper jaw to the fixed lower jaw with the fixed lower jaw disposed a substantial distance to the rear of the cutting edge of said band knife along the path of movement of the mat to be split to provide clearance for the split portion of the mat to pass below the fixed lower jaw without bending beyond the elastic limit thereof.

4. In a splitting machine of the type including a band knife having a substantially flat run, the combination of means for supporting a mat to be split during movement thereof in a fixed plane of travel, the path of which is inclined upwardly with respect to the fiat run of said knife and intersects the cutting edge thereof in said fiat run, with the major force of splitting directed upwardly at an angle to the plane of the band knife in said flat run, and a knife support and guide arrangement comprising an upper jaw over which said mat to be split passes during splitting, a mat-supporting surface on said upper jaw which is disposed closely adjacent to the cutting edge of said knife and lies in a plane coincident with the plane of travel of said mat and which cooperates with said means for supporting said mat to direct the same along said fixed plane of travel, a lower jaw disposed in cooperative relationship with the upper jaw to guide said band knife along its substantially flat run and under which the split portion of the mat passes during splitting, said lower jaw having a surface declining from the forward edge thereof a substantial distance, with the angle of declination with respect to the plane of the band knife in said flat run being in the order of 10, the forward edge of said lower jaw being disposed a substantial distance to the rear of the leading edge of the upper jaw to provide clearance for the passage of the split portion of the mat below the lower jaw without bending beyond the elastic limit thereof.

HENRY M. YOHN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 381,977 Avery May 1, 1888 626,858 Chilson June 13, 1899 1,670,514 Lane May 22, 1928 1,832,424 Rau Nov. 17, 1931 

